Prologue

My head was spinning, the mechanism was working fine, but I didn't feel right, the blow to my head had affected me more than I knew.

I remember that I had a prisoner; she was securely tied up, that was certain. I took a couple of painkillers to stop the ache. I looked in the mirror - the face was almost mine, but I didn't really recognise it. I thought I remembered an old entertainment program about some do-gooder that travelled through time and changed his identity, but I wasn't him. Of that I was certain.

My head was clearing, but I still couldn't remember who I really was, the names Leader, Controller and, Oh yes, Sir! But none of them really told me anything about myself.

I found a note in my pocket - 'You must stop T.I. Wilma Jenkins - she will try to kill you' Jenkins! That was the name of the prisoner! I managed to knock her unconscious just before that black bastard assistant of hers fired that gun at me. I think I killed him, I'm sure I did, so he won't be after me.

She'd followed me to my latest hideout; I didn't think they find me after all that time, time - there was something about time I knew it. The ship I was in was only a short-range model, good for a couple of hundred years, and then it would have to recharge. Taking a couple of weeks for each re-charge, not the thing to use for any serious travelling.

To get anywhere I'd need to have a fully working model - but the only ones available were held in museums so I'd have to steal one, but that wouldn't be good enough, I'd need a hiding place, where the Time Investigators wouldn't think to look for me.

I would need help with this, someone who would be able to tell me the best way to hide, but where would I... of course that blasted prisoner, I knew there was a reason why I kept her.

I went to the small room, this machine had 4 rooms in all, main control, sleeping cabin 1 and 2 and cargo area, I'd placed my captive in sleeping cabin 2, securely tied to the bunk, I remembered doing that at least. She was still there eyes glaring at me, she had a gag in her mouth, but only wearing a bikini style bra and panties set - they were all the rage for her home time.

I smiled at her, "Comfortable?" I asked, she still glared, I added. "Not so comfortable then, oh well, lets see what you have to say!" I removed her gag.

"You fucking bastard! What did you do to Michael?"

"Michael? Michael." I tried to think, and then said, "I do remember a John and a Paul, I think there was once a Susan, I believed I liked Susan a lot, a really good time I had with her I seem to remember, if you know what I mean." I gave her a slap on her thigh.

She drew in a sharp breath, "Don't touch me again, you're in a lot of trouble you know that!"

I smiled, "Of course I know, little flower," I liked that name, and it fitted her at this time. "I think there was some black turd who fired a shot at me. But I tried to ensure that he won't be doing that to me any more!"

She struggled in her bonds, but without success, she glared at me, I smiled, she snarled, "Once I get out of these dammed ties, your fucking life is mine, you bastard!"

I grinned at the words. Little flower wasn't her name anymore - Wildflower was more like it! "Now, now Wildflower, don't try to start something you can't finish, especially since you're in no position to stop me. Now Wildflower I need information."

She struggled in the ties, "My name is Time Investigator Wilma Jenkins, serial number 423887, I'm based in London, England. Earth. Time year 2501. No further details allowed under Temporal Codes." She tried to sound as if she was in control, "My supervisors will know of my abduction and will be closing in on you, it would be wise to... " She stopped at the sound of my laughter.

I shook my head, "Oh Wildflower, if you only knew - all you thought existed, has never been, even your superiors are just a memory, you're only alive because you're in a time craft, once I let you out - phssst, you're gone, just like a candle flame when it's snuffed out!"

Her eyes widened at my words, I wasn't really certain about that, but it served to dent her spirit, I didn't know where the words had come from, some part of me remembering? What? I couldn't remember. But it didn't matter - I was in full control.

"Now Wildflower, I want to hide myself and you, somewhere that nobody would think to look for some time." I smiled as I said that; 'time' I would live in time and time would save me!

She spat at me, "You monster, do you think I'd help you? You can stew in your own juice for all I care."

I shook my head. "No Wildflower," I started.

She yelled at me, "My name is Wilma Jenkins, not Wildflower - WILMA JENKINS."

I grabbed hold of her hair, "Wrong, your name is whatever I tell you it is, Wilma Jenkins is dead, lost in the streams of time. There is no Wilma Jenkins just Wildflower. Now if I was trying to hide in time, where would be the last place any of your people would have looked?"

She kept her mouth shut. That didn't matter, I had plenty of - time - to play with, I smiled into her face. "You've gone quiet, Wildflower, does that mean there is a place?"

She shook her head, "No you bastard, you can't hide. We're always monitoring the time lines, and any changes in the past are noticed and fixed before you can make them Permanent."

I smiled, "So the past is out then, the present is full of your people, that leaves the future, for us undefined and so malleable, just like you Wildflower."

I looked at her body lying on the bed, there were a few blemishes on her body, but she seemed quite lovely, I couldn't remember the last time I had spent with a woman, I kissed her mouth, she tried to bite me, but couldn't raise her head far enough, I moved my hands over her body.

"Stop that you pervert. I'll make you regret you were ever born." She said, I just smiled and then started to undress, her face dropped. "You can't, you wouldn't."

I said nothing, actions speaking louder than words. I found a knife and approached the cot, she watched me as I came nearer. "Please don't," She said as I sat on the cot, I ignored her pleas.

I slid the knife under the bra tearing at the wiring holding the two cups, she tried to rise up with the garment, but the knife was sharp, the material gave way, releasing her breasts, they weren't large, but just right to my way of thinking, I started to rub my hand over them feeling the firmness of her tits, she started calling me a bastard, I just kept on smiling.

I moved my hand away from her breasts and followed her skin down her stomach to her navel, she had a flat stomach probably due to all the exercise she did as an investigator, I must remember to ensure that she keeps up with the routine she's established, but with a few extra ones of my making.

After making circles on her skin with my fingers I decided that she deserved more of my attention, I moved my hand beneath the fabric of her panties, she drew in a deep breath as she felt my hand on places only her boyfriends had touched before.

"You know Wildflower," I said, "We are going to be together for a long time, I really think we should get to know each other well, very well indeed. I take it you've got the standard implant," she just glared at me, silent, denying me any information. "Don't worry about it, I mean once you start your monthly periods I'll know it stopped working." Her eyes widened at that, the contraceptive implant is designed to work for 3 years before needing a recharge. Not only does it protect against sperm it also provided a source of antibodies to attack all known diseases, it also had the added advantage of 'infecting' the 'partner' with the antibodies and clears up any problems that they might have.